Fuel cell plates, otherwise known as bipolar plates, serve several functions in a fuel cell stack. Ideally, the material for forming a fuel cell plate should have relatively high electrical conductivity, relatively low contact resistance and relatively high corrosion resistance. In addition, the fuel cell plates should have a degree of chemical stability such that they do not contaminate a polymer exchange membrane. Further, it is desirable that fuel cell plates have adequate hydrophilicity for water management, sufficient strength to resist deflection and deformation during compression of the fuel cell stack during assembly, relatively high formability, resistance to surface migration of magnesium, and other properties.
It is relatively difficult, however, to provide a fuel cell plate having all of the desired properties in a single plate material.